Textiles receive widespread attention as a versatile platform for wearable electronics. A wide range of materials from metals to conducting polymers, carbon allotropes and 2D materials such as graphene and MXenes can be used to realize conducting, semiconducting and electrochemically active fibers, yarns and fabrics as well as inks that can be printed or coated onto textile substrates. Electronic textile (e-textile) devices based on these materials, from fibre-shaped sensors to textile keyboards, displays and antennas as well as fabrics that can harvest and store energy, become increasingly sophisticated.

Despite the tremendous progress in terms of the development of new high-performance materials, device architectures and effective manufacturing methods, great challenges still remain and will need to be addressed in order to fully exploit the potential of e-textiles. These key challenges include (1) the development of fibers, yarns and fabrics with an optimal combination of electrical and mechanical properties, (2) effective manufacturing methods to seamlessly integrate different materials and devices into e-textiles, (3) materials and devices that display a high degree of biocompatibility, wash and wear resistance as well as long-term ambient stability, and (4) methods to reuse and recycle electronic textile materials and devices.

This symposium will provide a forum for collaborative discussions to address these challenges, in order to address both academic and industrial research needs and facilitate the transition of e-textiles from lab to market.

2D materials durability fabric fiber flexible graphene life cycle assessment metal polymer recycling